Greg Monroe could provide toughness to a young Suns team — if they keep him around.
On October 23rd, Phoenix Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe’s frustration with the organization came to its tipping point as he tweeted six simple words that effectively ended his time in Phoenix: “I don’t want to be here.”
That tweet ended up costing Bledsoe $10,000 in fines from the NBA.
After today, I’m sure Bledsoe considers that money well spent.
Early this morning, the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks agreed to a trade that sends Bledsoe to Milwaukee in exchange for Greg Monroe a lottery-protected first-round pick and a second-round pick.
The soon-to-be 28-year-old point guard is coming off of a career year in 16′-17′, where he averaged 21.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.4 steals in 33 minutes a game.
This season, as things have gone sour for Bledsoe in Phoenix, he’s played in just 3 of the Suns 11 games, averaging 15.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in 27.7 minutes a night.
For the Bucks, adding a player like Bledsoe without surrounding a major asset (Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker had been rumored) is a coup. Bledsoe will give the Bucks another player on offense who can create his own shot and a player with strong defensive upside when engaged.
Bledsoe has one more year left on his contract after this season and will be paid $15 million in 18′-19′.
Heading to the Suns is 6-11, 265-pound big man Greg Monroe. Still only 27 himself, it’s easy to see Monroe carving out a role for himself in Phoenix.
Always known as a hard-worker and strong inside player, Monroe had a career-year with the Pistons in 14′-15′ averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31 minutes a game.
Over the past couple of seasons, he’s transitioned into being more of an offensive option off the bench for Milwaukee. This year, with the emergence of a number of young players, and some nagging injuries, Monroe looked like the odd-man out with the Bucks, playing in just 5 games, averaging 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds and 15.8 minutes.
He’s in the last year of a contract that pays in $17.8 million this season.
